Program explores rich history of black churches
By Beth Kramer ekramer@stmedianetwork.com February 5, 2012 7:46PM
North Chicago, 02/05/12 -- Lake County Forest Preserve Commissioner Audrey Nixon shares an embrace after honoring Commissioner Angelo Kyle for his service at the Profiles In Excellence Celebration Tribute to Lake County's African America Churches Sunday afternoon at the Greenbelt Cultural Center in North Chicago | Eric Davis ~ For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 7, 2012 8:01AM
Sunday was about celebrating the achievements of the black community at Greenbelt Cultural Center’s special program that highlighted the history of black churches.
More than 100 people gathered to attend the 29th annual Profiles in Excellence program, which was free and held at the center, which is located on Green Bay Road between North Chicago and Waukegan.
The program was sponsored by the Lake County Forest Preserve District which is striving to improve the quality of life for future generations.
Sunday’s program featured pastors from eight different churches, plus song, dance and education.
“The community is surrounded with all types of ethnicities. This program gives us the opportunity to educate all ethnicities about black churches,” said Chris Ayers, Greenbelt Cultural Center manager.
Members from Rhema Dance Ministry of Waukegan presented a piece about church ladies in hats as part of Sunday’s program. Rhema’s ministry is based on dance, music and empowerment, according to founder Sylvia Hanna of Waukegan.
Hanna called Sunday’s program “awesome.”
“I love the creativity and the education it’s going to provide,” Hanna said.
High-school students Jacobie Hunt of North Chicago and Kiara McKinley presented a brief history of the black church.
Christianity has strong ties with Africa, Hunt said.
Jesus lived in Egypt for some of his life and when Christianity was an established religion, much of northeast Africa subscribed to the religion, McKinley said.
“In 378 CE, Christianity was imposed on African soil from Libya to Morocco. Much of Africa was Christian before it spread to the European continent,” McKinley said.
Between 11 and 12 million African slaves survived the journey to the Americas when the slave trade boomed in the 16th century, Hunt said.
“Most (slaves) underwent conversion that forced on them,” Hunt said. “Black slaves attended the same churches as their masters.”
Slaves were not allowed to worship without white supervision, but many still did, McKinley said. Slaves viewed the Bible as a liberation tool, she said.
Blacks who weren’t slaves started a church in 1774 in Philadelphia, she said.
The location of the first black church in Lake County is debated, but some put the first one in Lake Forest in the late 19th century, McKinley said.
It may have been Baptist or an African Methodist Episcopal church, she said.
By the 20th century, the First Baptist Church of Lake Forest was established and is still there today, she said.
There are at least 50 black churches in Lake County today, she said.
“There is a rich heritage in black churches. Let’s hope they will persevere with the same energy as churches in the 20th century,” Hunt said.
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